Fozzie Bear: Not as interesting in the beginning?

[Censored]

I've read that on early episodes of The Muppet Show, Fozzie's character was not very interesting and it was only in the second season that his personality was really developed.

Funny though, I would have never thought that myself. I thought he was great from the very start. In the very early episode with Joel Grey, I love the way he annoyed everyone by making jokes out of anything the characters said and how it finally played out on stage. It was also in the first season, that he did his hilarious skit with Kermit about "Good Grief! The comedian's a bear!" Mind you, I haven't seen the later seasons for many years now, so it's difficult for me to compare the first season to anything else, but I really enjoyed all of Fozzie's early scenarios as well as his ear wiggling. (I kind of wish they would have continued that; it reminded me of Stan Laurel. And like Fozzie, Stan Laurel's exaggerated ear wiggling was done with behind the screen tricks, not on his own).

 

[Vic Romano]

I always thought Fozzie and Gonzo in the beggining looked clinically depressed. I know that Fozzie was planned from the start as Frank's main character, and that he was supposed to be a bad comedian, but it was Frank who made him endearing.

Interesting now that Fozzie went from having little self-esteem back in the days of TMS to now having NO self esteem. I really thought he was gonna' have a complete meltdown in MWoO. I guess that's a hard line to walk; be timid, shy and loveable, but at the same time; willing to make a name for yourself. Poor Foz, he's gotta' be on Prozac by now.

 

[janicegroupie]

I think Fozzie was always interesting but he definitly become more of a fully rounded character as the show went on. His friendships with other characters especially Kermit really grew although that seems to be true with all the characters they all developed through out the years.

I totally agree with you Vic about Fozzie's self esteem issues. He is just getting more and more insecure. I feel so bad for him. I just wanna give him a hug and tell him it'll be okay and we all love you.

 

[Fozzie Bear]

I think that they lost touch with the inner-person of who Fozzie Bear really is in the movies where Frank Oz was only dubbing his voice. He was "bearly" used for a LONG time! Fozzie played Squire Tralawney in MTI or Old Man what's-his-face in MCC. He barely spoke in MFS. He was more like Fozzie Bear in VMX; but, in MWoO he's playing a totally different character, not even Fozzie, so only in ONE film since...TMTM has Fozzie ever really been Fozzie, and that was in VMX.

I hope to see more Fozzie, and I hope to see him behaving a bit more like he did on TMS and VMX than in other films before VMX.

 

[Fozzie Bear]

I totally agree with you Vic about Fozzie's self esteem issues. He is just getting more and more insecure. I feel so bad for him. I just wanna give him a hug and tell him it'll be okay and we all love you.

So, you see, now you get what it is that we all love about Fozzie. The whole Charlie Brown syndrome: Everytime you're knocked down a few notches, you stand back up. We feel sorry for him for, and thrilled at how he overcomes, how he's knocked down.

 

[David French]

I think it's also because he's not as "cuddly" as he becomes in the later seasons and he has more of a "throaty" voice as well. This version of Fozzie is also a bit more "naughty" than he becomes from Season Two onwards - he has a tendency to be "mean" towards other characters but eventually he mellows out and becomes more at one with most of the other Muppets - ie a complete idiot who thinks he's sane but everyone else is weird.

 

[Daffyfan4ever]

I agree. Fozzie hasn't been in the spotlight much since Eric started performing him or even before that when Frank was just dubbing in his lines. (Though I must admit, I liked "Mr. Bimbo" in MTI.) Hopefully, we'll see more of him whenever "Kermit's Christmas Capers" comes out.

 

[BEAR]

I agree. Fozzie hasn't been in the spotlight much since Eric started performing him or even before that when Frank was just dubbing in his lines. (Though I must admit, I liked "Mr. Bimbo" in MTI.) Hopefully, we'll see more of him whenever "Kermit's Christmas Capers" comes out.

Is that special still happening? Thought it was a no-go. Haven't heard anything more about it.

 

[Fozzie Bear]

With the change of leadership at MHC, I would think that new projects are on hold now. I suppose they'll let us see, eh?